Are we losing our minds or are we living a Star Trek episode?

[lfeisee]

 "I like your shoes."  Does that sound like sexual harassment to you?  More importantly, would you tell a class full of 12 year olds that the aforementioned phrase can be considered by some as sexual harassment?  Please tell me I am missing something!  Either I'm nuts or everyone else is.  Everyone else can't be nuts, so it must be me.  Here's the

Comments

[lfeisee]

Hi Victoria.. thanks for the post. I know there are cases of harassment in workplaces and also even in schools.. and I know there has to be laws to protect people not in position of power from those who wield power. I just think there is a better way to do it than this.. the way the counselor described it to me is just too broad and too ridiculous. A crazy person can really take advantage of the system and by the time they are proven to be crazy it could destroy lives and cost millions of dollars. The counselor did tell me that there have been very few frivolous suits.. but to me, its just a disaster waiting to happen.

[rantsofpassion]

First, what a fantastic post

[lfeisee]

Hi Carole! Wow! Your experience at work is exactly how I would imagine it working.. We have similar training every year. But while I found the training to be a bit ridiculous (as do others), I always assumed that adults can be more discerning and usually the training is directed at those in positions of power.. the way the counselor presented it to me is that it really doesn't have anything to do with power. Simply making someone "uncomfortable" can be viewed as sexual harassment. "uncomfortable"? that's a bit much isn't it? there are lot of things that make me uncomfortable.. but that CAN'T be the standard. It's like saying someone is infringing on my rights if I am offended by their actions.. what happened to freedom? BTW, I would love to hear your rant on all things PC. maybe you'll post it one day soon..

Lila

[fedoralady]

Political correctness has indeed run roughshod and here is another of it.

In my little newspaper office, we routinely admire one another's shoes/shirts/jewelry and what have you, tell each other we love each other ( in a light-hearted and affectionate comradely way) and other such behavior and NONE of us feel harrassed by it. This is just ridiculous!!

[lfeisee]

Hi Fedoralady, Your office sounds nice, but probably very unique.. and if I were you, I would be very careful.. because one day, someone not so nice and reasonable may work with you, and then you might be in for the ride of your life.

I wouldn't have thought so before, but now I'm not so sure. People are like robots these days waiting for the state to tell them what they can and can't do or what they should or shouldn't do..

*shakes head*

[fedoralady]

I think the difference for us, Lila is the fact we live in a small southern town and we all know each other well, and are probably all distantly related to one another, as family roots go deep here. I'm also much older than most of my co-workers, so I am more like a "mom" to them, I think.

I guess it isn't your typical situation. I mean, people hug me all the time and I hug them back, male and female, and there is nothing remotely sexual about it. It's just our way.

I'm not saying it would be that way every place you worked. We are a bit unique.

But I do understand where you are coming from. And it is sad to see people so hemmed in by political correctness there is no spontaneity allowed anymore.

[rantsofpassion]

And it is sad to see people so hemmed in by political correctness there is no spontaneity allowed anymore.

No spontaneity or ease.

If someone offends me, I brush it off. Everyone has different life experiences so no two people will feel the exact same way in all situations. What I find offensive, might just be normal for the next person.

One example occurred at a fan site I used to visit. The actor we all admired is European. He swears and smokes. The fans in the UK and other European countries didn't find anything wrong with this (and a good chunk of the American fans didn't either). Unfortunately a large number of the American fans on the site did find it offensive and thought they should write to the actor as a group and let him know that his behavior wasn't acceptable and that he was offending them. WTF!?!?!

Of course those of us that admired the actor regardless of his personal habits (its not like he was out there killing babies) voiced our concern that as they were stepping over the line by thinking it was their

[ladykate63]

Argh! how ridiculous!